Valve mechanism.



H. A. HATFiELD.

VALVE MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED IuLv 21.1914.

PatentedyAug. 10, 1915.

COLUMBIA PLANOORIIPH co.. WASHINGTON. D.

sTaTngs T T Tieren.

HIRAIVI A. HATFIELD, OF NOGALES, ARIZONA, ASSIGNOR, BYMESNEfiSSIGNMENTS, TO

@NTERNATIONAL AIR-BRAKE COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPO-RATION OF DELAWARE.

VALVE MEOHANISM'.

Application filed J'uly 27, 1914.

T 0 alli/17mm t may concern Be it .known that I, HIRAM A. HATFmLD, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Nogales, in the countyof Santa Cru?J and State of Arizona, have made certain lnew and usefulImprovements in Valve Mechanisms, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in valve mechanisms to be used. onrailroad cars, and it consists '751. he combinations, constructions, andarrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a device which is to be used inconnection with an automatic triple valve for setting the brakes byincreasing the train pipe pressure above normal.

A further object of my invention-is to provide a device of the typedescribed which will` act perfectly, regardless of the weight or tonnageofy a car or the diiferenttrain line pressures.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the followingspeciicationand the novel features of the device will be particularly pointed out`in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accomf panying drawings forming partof this ap plication in, which- Figure 1 is a central verticaly sectionthrough the device, Fig. 2 is a reduced section. along theline 2..-2 ofFig. 1, and Fig. 8 is a` diagrammatic view showing the application ofthe improved valvemechanism to a train controlling. means.

In the following specification I will describe completely the novelvalve mechanism andthe operation thereof and only so much ofv theordinary mechanism which coperates therewithas will 4be suflicient for aclear understandingof. the use and operation of my invention. Y

In carryingout my invention I provide a valve casing 1 ofsuitable shape.In the present, instance I. have shown this as a cylinder having, atopa2 which may befsecured to the body portion in any suitable manner,and which is providedy with a pipe 2X leading to an auxiliary reservoir(not shown). Within thefinterior of the valve casing is a: valve member4.- This consists of a weight which is provided at its upper end with aclosurey arranged to cover a Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

Serial No. 853,501.

port '5. Packing rings 6 are provided for the weighted valve. A lowerclosure memlber 11X is designed to control a port 7. A bypass 8 isarranged in the wall ofthe casing 1 y for a purpose hereinafterexplained. In the body portion 1 below the chamber in which the valve iloperates is a cylindrical bore 9 in which is disposed a cylindricalvalve piston 10. rIhs piston, as will be seen from Fig. 1, is notprovided with packing rings, but is designed to work `loosely in thelimiting theV movement of the valve toward the plug. At 12 is shown anexhaust port. A passage 13 communicates with the interior portion 9 ofthe bore at bothA ends of the cylindrical piston valve 10 and with pipe14. The pipe 14 in turn communicates with a triple valve mechanism shownin Fig. 3.

The lower end of thev valve casing 1 is provided witha threaded portion15 arranged to receive the union 151x which secures the end of the pipe16 to the valve casing and in communication with the passage 17.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device theoperation thereof may be readily understood.

Y In Fig. 3 I have shown the pipe 16 as being connected directly to thedrain plug of the automatic triple valve. TWhen an overcharge of airpressure is supplied to the main train line at the engineto set thebrake, air passes from the main train line through pipe 16, thencethrough the'passage 17 and port 7 where itunseats the weighted valve l.This allows the air'to passthe lower valve member 1x and thence by meansof the passage 1S into the bore.9, thus forcing the piston valve 10 inthe direction shown b f the arrow in FiO'. 1. rlChis uncovers the valveon each individual cal'.

v.triple valve. Vhenthe; train line air pressure is again reduced tonormal through the action of the engmeers valve being placed in ruimingposition, the excess air pressure contained in the auxiliary reservoirpassing through port 5 seats valve 4 and closes port 7. A vent 11a isprovided in plug 11 for the release of air left in bore 9 and passage18. The pressure in the brake cylinder then takes effect, and forces thecylindrical piston valve 10 to normal position which then opens exhaustport 12 releasing the air from the brake` cylinder to the atmosphere,thus releasing the brake. It will thus be seen that it depends entirelyon the amount of excess air pressure which the engineer adds to thetrainr line air pressure how hard the brakes are set on each car, as hehas complete control over this by the use of the engineers brake valveon the engine.

As before mentioned, by the use of my attachment or straight air valvethe brakes can 4be applied by both the use of straight air and automaticair. Straight air can be applied to the brakes and automatic air appliedon top or automatic air can be applied to the brakes and straight'aircan be applied on topfbut by the use of my valve it is best to usestraight air in all cases, thereby having the automatic air in reservein case of accident, such as the parting of a hose` or breaking of atrain pipe. As is clearly seen, the'auxiliary reservoir is kept chargedby the use of my valve. Thus it acts as a safety device in case ofaccident.

With the present system of automatic air brakes it often happens on longgrades that the automatic air pressure contained in the auxiliaryreservoir is not sufficient to hold the train, whereas by the use of myvalve vthe engineer can apply the brakes by the use of the excesspressure sufficient to hold the train and at the same time have theautomatic air in reserve to set the brakes in case of accident asmentioned above. By the use of my attachment it is impossible to loosethe braking power since any position other than running and lappositions of the' 'engineers brake valve will set the brakes.

Also Vby the use of my valve using the straight air, the pressure ineach brake cylinder will be the same, whether the brake cylinder pistonis set to travel two inches or ten inches, for the reason that theexcess air pressure applied at the engine is, distributed equallythrough my valve to the brake cylinders, one of which is located on eachindividual car. This prevents, to a large extent, Ythe parting yorbreaking in two of the train, as is now very often the case with thepresent system of automatic air.

The by-pass 8 is arranged in the wall of the casing 1 for the purpose ofallowing the auxiliary reservoir air pressure coming through the port 5to be equalized on both sides of the weighted piston valve 4 when it isseated on the port 7.

I claim: f

1. In a valve mechanism for air brakes, a casing provided with a mainvalve chamber, a weighted valve disposed in said chamber, packing ringsfor said valve, a by-pass in the wall of the casing around said valvewhen the latter is in its lower position, a pipe for connecting one endof said valve casing with a supply of compressed air, a passage withinsaid valve casing normally closed by said weighted valve and adapted tobe uncovered by an overcharge of air pressure in the passage, an outletpipe, and means for establishing communication between said main valvechamber and said outlet pipe, said means being controlled by thepressure of air in said main valve chamber.

2. In a valve mechanism for air brakes, a casing provided with a mainvalve chamber, a weighted valve disposed in said chamber, packing ringsfor said valve, a by-pass in the wallof the casing around said valvewhen the latter is in its lower position, a pipe for connecting one endof said valve casing with a supply of compressed air, a

passage within said valve casing normally closed by said weighted valveand adapted to be uncovered by an overcharge of air pressure in thepassage, an outlet pipe, and means for establishing communicationbetween said main valve chamber and said outlet pipe, said meanscomprising a piston valve disposed within a bore in said valve casing, apassage connecting said main valve casing with said bore, kand a passagearranged to be uncovered by the movement of saidpiston valve forconnecting said bore with said outlet pipe.

3. 1n a valve mechanism for air brakes, a casing provided with a mainvalve chamber, a weighted valve disposed in said chamber, packing ringsfor said valve, a by-pass in the wall of the casing karound said valvewhen the latter is in its lower position, a pipe for connecting one endof said valve casing with a supply of compressed air, av

passage within said valve casing normally closed by said weighted valveandadapted to be uncovered by an overcharge of air pressure in thepassage, an outlet pipe, n

means for establishing. communication between said mainV valve chamberand said outlet pipe, said means comprising, a piston valve disposedwithin a bore in said valve casing, a passage connecting said main valvecasing with said bore, va passage arranged to be uncovered by themovement of said piston valve for connecting said bore with said outletpipe, and an exhaust passage normally uncovered and adapted to becovered when the piston valve uncovers the passage between the interiorof the bore and the outlet pipe, said exhaust passage being uncovered bythe reverse movement of said piston valve.

sl. In a valve mechanism for air brakes, a casing provided with a mainvalve chamber, a weighted valve disposed in said chamber, packing ringsfor said valve, a by-pass in the wall oi the casing around said valvewhen the latter is in its lower position, a pipe for connecting one endof said valve casing with a supply of compressed air, a passage withinsaid valve casingnormally closed by said weighted valve and adapted tobe uncovered by an overcharge of air pressure in the passage, an outletpipe, means for establishing communication between said main valvechamber and said outlet pipe, said means comprising a piston valvedisposed `within a bore in said valve casing, a passage connecting saidmain valve casing with said bore, apassage arranged to be uncovered bythe movement of said piston valve for connecting said bore with saidoutlet pipe, an exhaust passage normally uncovered and adapted to becovered when the piston valve uncovers the passage between the interiorof the bore and the outlet pipe, said exhaust passage being uncovered bythe reverse movement of said piston valve, and a screw plug at one endof said bore for limiting the movement of said piston valve.

5. In a valve mechanism for air brakes, a casing provided with a mainvalve chamber, a weighted valve disposed in said chamber, means forestablishing communication between that part of said main valve chamberabove the valve and an auxiliary reservoir, a by-pass in the wall of thecasing around said valve when the latter is in its lower position, apipe for connecting one end of said valve casing with a supply ofcompressed air, a passage within said valve casing normally closed bysaid weighted valve and adapted to be uncovered by excess air pressurein the passage, an outlet pipe, and means for establishing communicationbetween said main valve chamber and said outlet pipe, said means beingcontrolled by the pressure of air in said main valve chamber.

HIRAM A. HATFIELD. lVitnesses:

JOHN A. ADAMS, VILLIAM Q. COLEMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

